Bio-fertilizer activity of Trichoderma viride and Pseudomonas fluorescens as growth and yield promoter for maize

Abstract

The bio-fertilizer potential of Trichoderma viride and Pseudomonas fluorescens on growth and yield performance of open-pollinated maize variety Rampur Composite was studied at the research farm of Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU), Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal during the winter season of 2018/19. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with seven treatments (T1: recommended dose of NPK (120:60:40 kg NPK ha–1), T2: T. viride only, T3: P. fluorescens only, T4: T. viride + 50% NPK; T5: P. fluorescens + 50% NPK; T6: T. viride + P. fluorescens + 100 % NPK, T7: control) and replicated thrice. The package of agronomic practices was followed as per national recommendation. The result revealed that T. viride + 50% NPK enhanced most of the growth components like plant height (103%), leaf number (9.77%), stem diameter (73.98%), root length (40.57%), leaf area index (173.28%), leaf biomass (83.36%) and stem biomass (127.72%) of maize compared to the control. Similarly, the higher cob biomass (641 g), yield (5708 kg ha–1) and thousand kernel weight (295 g) were recorded in the plot applied to P. fluorescens + 50% NPK. The use of Trichoderma viride and Pseudomonas fluorescens with a half-dose of recommended fertilizers may increase the vegetative growth and yield of maize and may also help to reduce the rate of chemical fertilizers in maize.